His hands are trembling and his eyes are watering as he reservedly plummets his spoon into another bite of this nasty concoction. It’s part soup, part meatloaf, and all the way disgusting. Truth be told nobody really knows what this garbage is but the miserable man knows that this is his only option to calm his raging stomach.

I guess I should say this gruel used to be his only option. A new cook has been hired and has now set before him a banquet of the tastiest morsels. He can say goodbye to the nasties and hello to this new delectable food.

Only he doesn’t. He has decided that he’d like to finish his bowl of half-meat.

“What a fool!”, you shout.

You are that man!

At least you are that man whenever you decide that you’d like to squeeze the fun out of sin a little longer. You tell yourself that you’ll repent later. You’ll just enjoy this season of unrighteousness and then you’ll come around. You don’t want to be abandoned by God, you don’t want to forsake the King…well at least not forever…just for a season. Just a little time for some fun—then you’ll come back.

If the Scriptures are true—and they are—then real joy is only found in holiness. Only. There aren’t half joys or not quite sufficient joys found elsewhere. They are non-joys. The fleeting pleasure of sin is but a shiny mirage. It’s a sham. It doesn’t last. It might look beautiful and feel grand for a season but in reality what you are doing is exchanging delightful provisions for a bowl of yuck.

Repent and turn from the muck and mire of sin. Christ has set before you a banquet. Feast!

Put down your spoon. Shove away that bowl of gross. Get up from the table. And sit down at the feast the Master has prepared. Take up. Eat.

—

The picture above is of macaroni and maggots. Apparently it’s delicious. I say, “hold the maggots and I might try some”.